Existence
Existence is the fictional galaxy that is home to a variety of characters, settings, and stories. The core system is home to the worlds of: Koft, New Coruscant, New Cretia, New Ziost, and Argon. There are many systems that inhabit Existence, either settled or untouched. Many inhabited systems are either aligned to the Koftian Coruscanti Alliance or Elders' Empire. Few systems are neutral or have banded together to form loose alliances or criminal organizations. History Origins The galaxy was created when the former Elder God Ramas forcibly collapsed the major dimensions unto one another. In the aftermath of the Second Dimensional War, Ramas emerged from hiding and attacked a beleaguered Dimensional Alliance. The DA had just begun to recover from the last war with the fallen Elders' Guardian, BMD. During the war, BMD had constructed an array of Essence Pillars. Essence Pillars were large towers that fed on the very essence of a dimension. During the course of the Second Dimensional War, BMD had conquered a number of the major dimensions of the DA. Using the residents of the conquered dimensions, he had these pillars built. Each Pillar would consume a dimension's life essence, little by little, feeding BMD unimaginably large amounts of power. Yet, the Pillars' power began to corrupt BMD, causing his mind to experience the equivilant of neural decay. Driven mad by powers he could not control, BMD ordered attacks on his own armies, allowing the DA and Elder Gods to capitalize. They drove BMD's weakened armies away from the Core Dimensions, and eventually driving BMD into hiding. The Pillars were directly connected to the core of the dimension that housed it. When Ramas returned, he destroyed the Pillars causing a massive chain reaction. The threads of the Temporal Plane could not hold the dimensions together. Slowly, they fell into one another, timelines falling onto timelines, entire dimensions wiped clean. As dimensions began to collapse, the people of major DA dimensions began to flee toward the Cretia dimension, seat of the Elder Gods. Cretia was protected against the collapse of the pillars, making it the only place for people to run to. The Elder Gods found themselves overwhelmed by the refugees, rendering them unable to aid the DA. Thus, Ramas quickly dismantled the order, and followed the refugees to the Cretia dimension, and to the world of Koft. There, the Elder Gods were forced to contend with their former comrade and his zealous followers. When things began to look dire for Kaostos and the Elder Gods, BMD intervened. He fought back Ramas' hordes, eventually banishing Ramas from the Physical Plane entirely. With their master gone, the Ram Army quickly disbanded, many fleeing from the scene. Those who watched what had just transpired were unsure of BMD's intentions. Many had lost faith in the Elder Gods, and were still reeling from the shock of the destruction of their home dimensions. Those who feared that BMD would simply finish the job were ready to defend themselves, but others looked to BMD as their savior. Upon the ashes of the battlefield, BMD proclaimed to those present that he would be leading reconstruction efforts for those who wished to follow him. The Elder Gods, whose influence had been shaken, swore to follow BMD. Roughly half the surviving peoples also followed the Elders and BMD to the nearby planet. Those who stayed were either completely opposed to BMD or were just tired of running. The settlers remained on Koft and slowly began rebuilding upon the remnants of the Dimensional Alliance. Cloud Strife was named interim leader until the government was established. On the other world, BMD established his own government, with himself as the dominant ruler. He named the planet New Coruscant, after the capital of the former Faraway dimension. First Koftian Conflict By 2 ADM, Koft and Coruscant had established their respective governments and societies. The Koftian Alliance was led by Prime Minister Goku of former Drago dimension. Supreme Chancellor BMD led the newly formed Coruscanti Republic. Both planets lived in relative isolation until Mid 2 ADM, when the Elder Gods persuaded BMD to reestablish relations with the neighboring Koft. Many of the best and brightest survivors had fled to Coruscant when BMD led the exodus. This gave the Republic an edge in reconstruction, allowing them to pull ahead of Koft economically and technologically. To no surprise, there was a heavy sense of envy among the Koftian leaders. When BMD sent a delegation to Koft, they were coldly turned away. The Alliance's leaders were not the only one who understood Coruscant's successes. Koftia, Koft's only moon, decided it was best to secede from the Alliance and join the Republic. Prime Minister Goku and his advisors were furious at the Koftia leadership, led by Governor Rufus Shinra of former Gaia dimension. Koftia had the only known source of cortosis, the base metal used in starships. This made Koftia incredibly valuable. They immediately sent forces to deal with the rebels. Within days, Koftia was under martial law, and Rufus was imprisoned. Kaostos persuaded BMD to send his armies to aid Koftia. The superior forces of the Republic were able to drive the Allied forces off Koftia in mere weeks. Faced with this humiliating defeat, and knowing full well he could not continue a war with Coruscant, Prime Minister Goku signed a cease-fire before resigning from his post. The war was officially over by the end of 2 ADM. Tai of former Digi-World was elected to replace Goku. Koftia renewed its efforts to join the Republic, but BMD denied them admission. Therefore, Koftia was still offically a part of the Alliance, but acted on its own, trading with both planets. Though the Koft government disapproved of this, they could do nothing to prevent it. Second Koftian Conflict In early 3 ADM, Prime Minister Tai promised the Koftian people that they would make every effort to catch up with Coruscant, both economically and technologically. Supreme Chancellor BMD was unhindered by this, and continued to trade openly with Koftia. Every so often, he would try to open diplomatic relations with the Alliance, but each time he was met with a refusal. Koft, at first, resented Koftia's relations with Coruscant, but as time went on, they began to take advantage of it. Prominent businesses that purchased technology from Coruscant were bribed by the Koftian government, allowing them to copy many technological advances made by the Republic. In time, Prime Minister Tai felt that the Koftian military had become equal, if not surpassing that of the Republic's. To exact vengeance for humiliating Koft, Tai ordered a surprise attack on Republic forces on a diplomatic mission with Koftia during Mid 4 ADM. This angered BMD greatly, for one of the shuttles carried his wife, November Terra, and their baby daughter, Nebula. Though the Republic forces withdrew relatively unscathed, BMD was prompted into action for furious retribution. Without the counsel of the Elder Gods or the Coruscanti Senate, BMD declared war on the Alliance, igniting the Second Koftian War. The Alliance openned by taking Koftia and raiding its resources, allowing them to build starships rapidly. This did nothing to stop the relentless attack by Coruscant's fleets. The Republic was quick to destroy the bulk of Allied forces on Koftia. As they retreated, BMD personally led the Republic military to Koft itself. Unable to defend their planet, the many Koft military commanders surrendered instead of suffering crushing defeats. BMD made his way to Kofto City, the capital of Koft. After a short confrontation, BMD had Tai executed. The Peace Accords were signed by BMD and the Koftian interim leader, Gilad Pellaeon. Koftia was annexed by the Republic, and Koft was forced to have a Republic embassy opened. The Republic's decline Sometime during the First Koftian War, Jedi Master Bastila Shan had disappeared without a trace. BMD was in love with the Jedi Master, and was devastated when she went missing. At first, he suspected the Koftians, but when they were defeated, they confessed no knowledge of Bastila's disappearance. After the second war with Koft, in early 5 ADM, BMD too disappeared. His wife, Nova Terra, was left with a note saying that he had figured out where Bastila was, and had gone to rescue her. The Republic's leadership was in chaos, and the Elder Gods tried their best to hold things together. Meanwhile, Koft elected Lyndon Pilot, King of the former Hylian dimension. Pilot wasted no time in changing Koft into a monarchy. He dissolved the Koftian Council, and established himself as King. His wife, Queen Zelda I, was outraged. She divorced her husband, and took sole control of Koft's New Hyrule. They made a mass exodus to New Coruscant, hoping to escape before Pilot took full control. They were welcomed by the Republic with open arms, quickly inviting Zelda's daughter, Zelda II, a senatorial position. She gladly accepted, hoping her efforts would help Coruscant remain dominant even in BMD's absence. Eventually, Senator Wilhuff Tarkin of former Faraway dimension was elected interim Supreme Chancellor. There were high hopes for Tarkin, but no one could forsee the events that were to come. Instead of maintaining the stability of the Republic, Tarkin made many deals with King Pilot. The Senate and the Coruscanti people were left ignorant of Tarkin's dealings. Coruscant's secrets were sold to Pilot, weapons and technology were smuggled to Koft, and Tarkin was the only one profiting from all these betrayals. Eventually, Pilot decided to turn on Tarkin. The Koftian King declared war on Coruscant during early 6 ADM, seizing control of Koftia, and invading Coruscant. The war was a very short one, for Coruscant was caught unprepared and quite outmatched. The Senate quickly surrendered to Koft, unwilling to face further bloodshed. Republic leaders and King Pilot met to discuss the terms of surrender during late 6 ADM. Koftia would return to the Koftian Kingdom, and Coruscant would be subject to annual "reviews" by the Koftian military. This was to keep Coruscant at least two steps behind Koft, making the latter the most powerful of the two. Additionally, Nova Terra was taken prisoner by Koft under charges of treason. Her daughter, Nebula, was taken in by Queen Zelda I. Soon after, the Republic realized the full extent of Tarkin's betrayal. After short court precedings, Tarkin was found guilty of treason and executed. The Republic elected Obi-wan Kenobi to replace the traitor Tarkin. With Koft victorious, and Coruscant crippled, Obi-wan knew it would be a long and arduous recovery. It would be two years before the Republic would fully recover. BMD's return and the Vullarian threat By 9 ADM Koft had enjoyed several years of prosperity. Coruscant slowly recovered from the last war, and had made very little progress in repelling their oppressors. Their hopes returned when former Supreme Chancellor BMD returned to Coruscant. He and Bastila Shan had escaped their imprisonment in regions unknown to a very different setting than they had left. BMD took the news of Koft's domination with great surprise, quickly demanding the release of his wife, Nova Terra. King Pilot was hesitant to comply, but he had no wish to test BMD's patience. Nova was set free and was returned to Coruscant. Unfortunately for her, BMD had returned with a pregnant Bastila. Sorrowfully, BMD and Nova ended their marriage, but remained within each other's company for their daughter's sake. Supreme Chancellor Kenobi offered to resign in order to put BMD back in the lead, but BMD declined. He warned Kenobi of a larger threat than Koft, looming outside of explored space. He revealed that he had made contact with unfamiliar beings prior to his disappearance. They were called Vullarians and had taken numerous citizens of both Koft and Coruscant as test subjects, including Bastila. The insectoid and warrior-like beings were very hostile, and it took BMD many years to orchestrate his escape with Bastila. Kenobi was troubled by this, and decided to enlist the help of the Koftians, should the Vullarians ever invade. King Pilot was skeptical of such a race existing outside of Koftian/Coruscanti space, but he agreed that this would help him continue to keep Coruscant in check. After several months of deliberation, the Coruscanti Senate and King Pilot decided to create the Koftian-Coruscanti Alliance. This was an elite cadre of both Koftian and Coruscanti militias. The two planets would still have their own defense forces, in the Koftian Planetary Watch and the New Coruscant Coalition. The KCA was a united effort, making it the first time the two planets willingly coexisted. Their peace was very short-lived, however, for the Vullarians were quick to attack. The Vullarian War In early 10 ADM, the Vullarians launched their first assault on Corgus, one of Coruscant's farthest moons. The attack was easy repelled, but it took the combined efforts of KCA and NCC forces to keep the Vullarians at bay. Many of the commanders believed they were victorious, but others were troubled by the Vullarians' disregard for their dead. The corpses were left on the battlefield, and when Coruscanti scientist tried to recover them, they had found that the corpses had solidified, becoming hard as stone. The questions were answered when the KCA believed the Vullarian presence on Corgus was gone. The Vullarian corpses bursted into clouds of toxic gas, gradually enveloping Corgus' atmosphere. The KCA was much too preoccupied to remove the corpses beforehand, leading to devastating effects. In mere days, 80% of Corgus' population had died. The survivors were shuttled to Coruscant, and the KCA leadership was humiliated. Several top leaders resigned, prompting Chancellor Kenobi to enlist the aid of the Elder Gods and BMD. BMD begrudgingly joined the KCA, yet having to work with those who imprisoned and tried to kill his former wife was a strenuous task. The former Supreme Chancellor fixed this by securing a high ranking position able to handpick his own forces. The Sith were an obvious choice, for they were fanatically loyal to BMD. Unwilling to risk the wait for another attack, BMD and fellow KCA general Cid Highwind devised a plan to take the fight directly to the Vullarian worlds of: Mirosis, Virosis, and Kirosis. Yet, the path toward the Vullarian worlds was a treacherous one. The Vullarian Navy was unlike any other anyone had ever faced before. This led to a very long and costly trek toward Vullarian space. The first several years of the war was spent slowly advancing to the Vullarian worlds. Coruscant and Koft worked tirelessly to develop new weapons and warships able to withstand the brute force of the Vullarian Navy. Finally, during 13 ADM, the KCA fleets made it to the closest Vullarian world of Mirosis. From there, they invaded the planet and waged a ground war, attempting to take planet. Unlike on Corgus, the corpses of the Vullarians' fallen did not explode, allowing the KCA to continue to fight unhindered by the fear of facing an enemy that was already dead. Unfortunately, progress was very slow, and costed many lives. BMD recommended using technology that even the Vullarians could not protect themselves against. He had a special team of scientists from Coruscant develop a superweapon capable of wiping the Vullarian planets clean of life. The Nova-class Devastators were built and sent aboard BMD's flagship, The Malefic. The Jedi High Council tried to dissuade the use of the devastators, arguing that peace with the Vullarians should be their goal. At first, the Koftians were indifferent, but King Pilot saw this as a way to alienate BMD and undermine his influence. Coruscant's leadership was divided, but Chancellor Kenobi was forced to agree with his Jedi brethren. Yet, BMD saw differently. He was unwilling to compromise, and argued that the war had gone on for far too long. It had been four years since he had last seen his family, and he desperately wanted to end the war. Ignoring the orders from the KCA high command, BMD launched all available bombs. The devastators all targeted each of the Vullarian planets. BMD fed them false information, causing them to believe that the KCA was going to launch a three-pronged invasion, prompting the Vullarians to retreat back to their planets to fortify. The devastators did their job, eliminating an overwhelming majority of the Vullarians. Only a pocketful would survive, safe in space just before the bombs hit. The planets' destructions were broadcasted for all on Koft and Coruscant to see. In the aftermath, the war was over and BMD was branded a traitor. The KCA called for his arrest, but BMD and the forces still loyal to him fled from the scene, going deeper into unexplored space, evading capture. King Pilot demanded that BMD be found and executed. However, the Coruscanti leaders were divided on how to handle the situation. On the one hand, BMD had disobeyed direct orders, but he had also single-handedly destroyed the Vullarian threat. Coruscant continued to support the KCA, but found it increasingly difficult to decide on what to do about BMD. The KCA would continue to look for BMD and his forces. Rise of the Elders' Empire BMD and his forces hid amongst the unknown and unexplored reaches of the system for over a year. They regularly harassed KCA forces, especially Koftian vessels and establishments. Many Coruscanti Senators denounced the hunt for BMD, and called for its end, but King Pilot put pressure against the Supreme Chancellor to continue the search. By mid 15 ADM, Queen Zelda I of New Hyrule announced her retirement. She was handing the mantle to her daughter, Zelda II. Zel was a Senator for New Coruscant, but resigned to take her place as Queen. She stunned many when she invited her father, BMD, to her coronation. The Koftians found it the perfect opportunity to capture BMD, but the Coruscanti blocked any attempt. Many Koftian and Coruscanti leaders were invited, even some high ranking Jedi. Bastila, who had left BMD, because she believed his actions irredeemable, found it difficult to be a part of the coronation, but could not keep her twin daughters, Penelope and Saranthia, from seeing their father. Nova and Nebula had made their way to BMD's forces earlier, unable to stand being on Coruscant. The Elder Gods were also present, allowing BMD to discuss his plan to create a new faction amongst the ruins of the Vullarian worlds. He had left the bulk of his forces on those worlds, using terraforming to make them hospitable again. Kaostos agreed to join BMD in his new Empire. In addition to his forces, those who sympathized with BMD during the end of the Vullarian War migrated to the former Vullarian worlds to join the new Empire. Due to their unwavering loyalty, the Sith were given Mirosis, which they renamed New Ziost. The Empire's industrial backbone was to be the former world of Virosis, which was remade to be Argon. Argon was controlled by BMD's trusted friend and Captain of his flagship, Gilad Pellaeon. Finally, the capital world of the Vullarians, Kirosis, was to be remade into New Cretia, capital of the Elders' Empire. Within a couple years, the Empire was able to build its glory, eventually rivaling that of Koft and Coruscant. Change in the system By early 16 ADM many on Koft had become discontent with Pilot's rule. Among them was Aerith Gainsborough, an influential figure in Koftian politics. Although Pilot had led Koft to an age of supremacy, a majority felt that Pilot would eventually lead the planet to ruin. Aerith was BMD's first wife and she took no shame in asking for his help. Emperor BMD was happy to oblige, for he was no friend of King Pilot's. Unbeknownst to the public, Empress Nova Terra volunteered to assassinate Pilot, which she did so quickly after the plan was commisioned. With Pilot dead, the power vaccuum allowed Aerith to become Koft's new leader. She quickly changed the government, reforming the Koftian Senate. They elected her Prime Minister, which allowed her to open diplomacy with the Empire. Around the same time, Senator Varian Wrynn of New Azeroth and former Azeroth Dimension was elected Supreme Chancellor of Coruscant. This allowed Obi-wan Kenobi to return to the Jedi Order. The Jedi felt that Coruscant was too sympathetic to the Empire, who harbored their mortal enemies, the Sith. So, the Order relocated to Koft, which was free of King Pilot's rule. They left an enclave on Coruscant, but it functioned as no more than an embassy. Though they were hesitant to openly challenge the Empire and its Sith allies, the Jedi remained vocal about denouncing Sith activity and Imperial involvement. Yet, overtime, some prominent figures began to question if living along side the Sith was so bad. The diehard Jedi Council members, Yoda and Mace Windu were totally against the idea of opening relations with the Sith. However, Luke Skywalker, another Council member, was more insistent about relations with the Sith and the Empire. Master Skywalker had fought along side BMD and his Sith during the Vullarian war. He found that BMD was tolerant of the Jedi, even though he was a Sith Lord himself. He also noticed that the Sith were undyingly loyal to BMD, which allowed him to control them. If BMD's relations with the Jedi were warm, then the Sith would have no choice but to obey. The other two Council members, Bastila Shan and Nomi Sunrider, kept their opinions to themselves. Skywalker was alone on his stance, leaving the Jedi and Sith relations unheeded. In the aftermath of the Vullarian war, scientists had made great strides in exploring the galaxy. New resources allowed the reinvention of the hyperdrive, allowing the factions to explore and claim new systems. Overpopulation was a serious issue for all three factions, so new territory was an invaluable asset. Chancellor Wrynn, Prime Minister Gainsborough, and Emperor BMD met to discuss how they would divide up the unclaimed lands. Cretia dimension had an abundance of hospitable systems and planets. Yet, it was only until recently that the technology was advanced enough to expand. The Expansion Doctrine was signed by the three factions, which allowed them to settle as many systems as they could on a first-to-claim basis. They would each send out explorers and settlers who would find hospitable systems and declare allegiances. The doctrine forbade any factions to fight over systems, which were upheld in most cases. In other cases, independent settlers would wage small wars for planets or systems. This allowed the formation of The Exchange, a criminal organization that worked as both mercenaries and their own independent and illegal operations. The main factions sent their own forces to deal with the Exchange, but they were very cunning, evading their pursuers with ease. In two years, the factions were able to expand far beyond the Core system. There was many other neutral systems, but they regularly dealt with one faction or another. The Balance of Power The Exchange had made a great deal of enemies in Existence by 18 ADM. Though Koft and Coruscant resented the Exchange's existence, The Empire was the only one to send its fleets into the unknown to deal with the criminals. Unbeknownst to the Empire and its allies, the Exchange was more than a loose affiliation of drug cartels and mercenaries. The infamous Zerg, thought to have perished during the Dimensional Meld, had forged an alliance with the Exchange. Queen Kerrigan of the Zerg thought it best to build a faction of her own under a great shroud of secrecy. The Exchange's leader, Tyber Zahn, agreed to aid Kerrigan by being her public face. Being a human, Tyber would be able to gather information and technology for Kerrigan, as long as she provided her best forces to help ambush traders and low-security cargo freights. Emperor BMD and the Elder Gods suspected that the Exchange was more than what they seemed, but Koft and Coruscant would not act on suspicion alone. Elsewhere, on the planet Earth-Reborn, President James Raynor stressed a vigilant watch for the Zerg. Though he had little proof of their continued existence, the major factions had many unexplained cargo disappearances. Under rigorous investigations, United Earth Directorate scientists found residual bio-organic material that matched Zerg profiles. Yet, Earth was not officially a part of any of the three major factions, which made their influence very miniscule. Earth was allied with Koft, especially with those of the Jedi Order. The Jedi sympathized with the UED, but found it difficult to sway the Koftian Senate or Prime Minister Aerith. The UED, however, refused to give up. They would go about their own means in flushing out the Zerg. They enlisted the aid of one of their own, the Paragon LE. LE was one of the driving forces of the former Dimensional Alliance. Many great victories of the Second Dimensional War were attributed to the Paragon. However, after the Dimensional Meld, LE settled down and away from the political stage. He married the Archmage Jaina Proudmoore, who was a high ranking member of the former Arcane University. Proudmoore and her colleagues reformed the Order into the Circle of Mages after the Vullarian War, realizing that the study of magic would have to go hand-in-hand with war. LE fought beside his wife and the forces of former Stronghold dimension during the Vullarian conflict, which was mainly part of Koft and the KCA. After the war and the reinvention of hyperspace tech, the Earth forces moved to colonize a planet of their own. The UED was formed, sovereign from Koft, but still closely tied with their former home. LE oversaw the rapid militarization of Earth, their goal being to match the KCA in manpower and technology. Nationalism ran high with Earth's citizens, allowing the civilian-to-military volunteer ratio in the UED to match that of Koft. Heavy industrialization and constant trading with Koft and Coruscant. The UED were wary and mistrustful of the Empire, considering that the Sith were under Imperial rule. Being close friends with the Jedi Order, the UED kept their dealings with the Empire at a minimal. Most business interactions were done solely with the Imperial planet of Argon. Eventually, the UED made up the bulk of the KCA forces. Although not officially part of Koft or Coruscant, the UED still played a part in the Koftian-Coruscanti Alliance. In the Empire, Emperor BMD relinquished the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith to Darth Sidious. He decided that the Empire would require his full attention, and that the Sith were quite capable of handling themselves. Sidious remained loyal to the Empire, and pledged the Sith to the Imperial Armed Forces should the need ever arise. The Sith continued to build power, but they were limited to Imperial-held planets. The Emperor forbade them from entering Koftian or Coruscanti territories to bolster their ranks. The Sith begrudgingly obeyed. It was also during this time that Kaostos, the Highfather of the Elder Gods handed his rule over to BMD. Kaostos had been Highfather since the time immemorable, but he decided that his rule had remained far past its time. Kaosotos transfered all his power to BMD, allowing him to become a full Elder God. After the Rite of Gods was completed, Kaostos left the Temporal Plane to join other Elder Gods long gone. The Sith Civil War During 18 ADM, the Sith Order had fallen into a state of political infighting. Darth Sidious and Darth Krayt had begun to argue about the direction the Order was taking. Krayt desired to totally annihilate the Jedi on Koft, where Sidious chose to obey the Emperor, and leave the Jedi alone. The Emperor believed that the neverending war with the Jedi had caused the downfall of the Sith too many times. Although Darth Sidious was the official Dark Lord of the Sith, the Sith Order itself answered only to Emperor BMD. Darth Krayt refused to accept this, drawing many of Sith to his side. Eventually, two seperate factions rose, equal in both number and strength. Masters and Apprentices turned on one another, and the infighting that had plagued the Sith for thousands of years had returned. Darth Krayt hoped to usurp the mantle of Dark Lord for himself by killing Darth Sidious. The war escalated when Kraty's followers took command of the Great Sith Citadel. Sidious asked the Emperor for aid, which he personally supplied. Gathering the 1st Imperial Fleet, BMD quickly took control of Ziost, driving the traitorous One-Sith Order off the planet and into hiding. Sidious and the Old Sith Order were pleased and grateful for the Emperor's quick help. Lord Sidious decided to hand the mantle of Dark Lord back to BMD. Sidious hoped that if the Emperor was Dark Lord, the Sith would be less likely to question the Order's direction. Darth Krayt was not finished with the Old Sith, though. As the One-Sith retreated into unexplored territory, they were apporached by the Exchange. Tyber Zhan offered them a place in their new society. Krayt was hesitant at first, especially when it was revealed that they were allied with the Zerg. Eventually, he accepted that this alliance was necessary if they were to one day klll the Sith and Old Sith Orders. The Zerg would provide the perfect distraction for the Empire. Krayt agreed to support Zahn, providing his Sith warriors as protection and shock troopers for the Exchange's hit-and-run operations. Ramas Returns Upon her travels, Kerrigan settled upon a world on the very fringe of the galaxy. She named the new planet Char, after the old Zerg homeworld. On the planet, the Zerg discovered the last pocket of the Vullarian race. War-Coordinator Skyr led an elite Vullarian guard that was sent to assassinate Koftian and Coruscanti leaders. When the Vullarian high command recalled their forces, Skyr and his guard was able to avoid the destruction of the Vullarian worlds. They were late for the recall, and survived. Ever since, they were on the run, hiding from the KCA and the newly formed Empire. Seeing an oppurtunity, Kerrigan invited the Vullarians to join the Zerg and its allies. Skyr saw the many similarities the two races shared, and he knew all too well that the 100 Vullarians in his guard wouldn't stand a chance alone in a galaxy so hostile to them. The War-Coordinator agreed, and swore undying loyalty to Kerrigan. Now, the faction created by Kerrigan and Tyber Zahn was a force to be reckoned with. Yet, from afar, Sephiroth watched and waited, later approaching them with a proposal. Though the quartet was powerful, Sephiroth knew they feared the Empire above all else. He proposed that ritual be used to summon Ramas back from the Nether Plane. The faction needed a strong leader, who could also take on the Emperor without concern. Tyber Zahn and Darth Krayt were opposed to the idea at first, but Kerrigan eventually convinced them otherwise. The Zerg Queen knew Ramas would be so preoccupied with getting revenge on BMD that he would be blind to anything she planned or did. And with Skyr right behind her, she was confident that everything would go according to her plans. The quartet agreed to Sephiroth's plan. They began by abducting mages from the Circle of Mages. The Circle was concerned when they noticed lone mages, out researching or on diplomatic missions, had started disappearing. They asked the KCA and Empire to aide them in investigating, but they never located the missing mages. Sephiroth forced the mages to conduct the ritual, which would cost them their lives. This was Blood Magic, frowned upon in civilized society and forbidden in the Circle. After the ritual's completion, Ramas returned into the Temporal Plane. Yet, he was very unlike his former self. Spending years in the Nether Plane had left his body broken. He was more akin to a corpse, than a person. He maintained all of his powers, but seemed physically labored. Albeit, Kerrigan and her allies did not question Ramas' ability to lead. Thus, the Black Mirage was born, committed to taking the galaxy for themselves, and destroying any who opposed them. The Great Galactic War begins In Mid 19 ADM The Black Mirage launched a full scale invasion against the KCA and the Empire. The Zerg invaded Couruscanti-held systems, with Kerrigan's main brood attacking Coruscant itself. Tyber Zahn's and Darth Krayt's forces attacked Koft, taking several systems easily, before attacking Koft diretly. Meanwhile, Ramas and the Vullarian Remnant scoured the galaxy for Imperial systems, hoping to draw the Emperor out from Cretia's defenses. The attacks occurred when the three main leaders: BMD, Aerith Gainsborough, and Varian Wrynn were at a diplomatic conference in the neutral Asari world of Landara. All three factions were taken completely by surprise, but planned to strike back quickly. The Elder Goddess Sheridan sent an advance force to the Solus System, which was being colonized by the Empire. Sheridan personally headed to the Solus IV, one of the first planets attacked. There, she engaged the Vullarian Remnant, trying to hold them until the 1st Imperial Guard, commanded by Force Commander Ashley Williams, could arrive. Sheridan held her own against the Vullarians, but was injured by Skyr. Before Skyr could overwhelm her, Sheridan shielded herself. The shield was impenetrable, but Ramas made an appearance, brandishing an ancient and very deadly weapon. The Umbral Staff was the only weapon capable of killing an Elder God. It was constructed by Ramas before his first defeat millenia ago. Ramas plunged the staff into Sheridan's shield, draining all of Sheridan's will and power. Fortunately, before Ramas could kill Sheridan, the Elder Goddess Sarah arrrived with the 1st Imperial Guard. They fought the Vullarians back, and forced Ramas to retreat. Sheridan was recovered and brought back to Cretia. After the retreat, Ramas returned to Char. He recalled his lieutenants back to the world, but only Kerrigan, Krayt, and Skyr arrived. Tyber was captured above Koft by the KCA with the help of the 3rd Imperial Fleet, under Fleet Admiral Firmus Piett. Zahn was imprisoned on Koft, and awaited interrogation. BMD allowed the 3rd Imperial Fleet to aid Koft in reclaiming its lost systems. The 2nd Imperial Fleet, under Fleet Admiral Tasha, was also on loan to Coruscant. Earth's Grand Marshal LE volunteered to aid the 1st Imperial Fleet in their invasion of Char. A Sith Strike Team and Jedi Strike Team also volunteered for the ground mission to assassinate Ramas. BMD would have the aid of his Imperial Knights as well. With their orders, the KCA and Imperial fleets left toward their respective goals. The Black Mirage remained spread throughout their holdings, but Ramas knew that the greatest battle would be fought on Char. The 1st Imperial Fleet and its allies arrived on Char, launching an all-out assault. Grand Marshal LE led the naval forces above the planet, while BMD led the invasion force on the ground. LE was able to keep the airbourne Zerg and Vullarians. Meanwhile, BMD, the Sith, Jedi, and Imperial Knights battled the Vullarian and Zerg ground forces. The Emperor's demise Grand Marshal LE, leading the KCA and 1st Imperial Fleet, held his own against the Zerg and Vullarians. The Zerg took heavy losses, but were unperturbed by the relentless onslaught. Half the standing Vullaraian forces were killed in the air, the other half remaining on Char. On the surface, the Emperor and his forces entered Kerrigan's Citadel, battling through legions of Zerg. They were seperated when the Sith and Jedi Strike Forces left to contend with the One-Sith. The Imperial Knights followed their Emperor into the Citadel, defeating Kerrigan and the remaining Vullarians. Seeing their hopes lost, Kerrigan and her personal guards fled, abandoning Ramas. In the throne room, Ramas and BMD engaged in a duel while the Imperial Knights fought off the remaining members of the Black Mirage. BMD overpowered Ramas, but was forced to retreat when Ramas used the Umbral Staff. After a short exchange, Ramas was able to land a blow directly into BMD. The Imperial Knights scattered to help their Emperor. In the struggle, Grand Master Roan Fel killed the few remaining Vullarians, Skyr included, but was killed by Ramas. Imperial Knight Nebula Terra took command, ordering a retreat. They forces recovered the bodies of BMD and Roan Fel, and fled the scene. An enraged Ramas ordered his forces to pursue. The Jedi and Sith met up with the Imperial Knights and were extracted before The Black Mirage could get to them. Neb contacted the naval forces and ordered the 1st Imperial Fleet to take BMD back to Cretia. BMD's flagship, the Malefic, was used to transport the injured and Strike Teams back to the Imperial capital, while the remaining naval forces fortified the space above Char. The Emperor made it back to Cretia barely alive. The other Elder Gods were surprised that taking a direct hit from the staff didn't kill BMD, but were grateful. He was rushed to the Imperial Palace, and underwent extensive healing rituals. However, nothing seemed to work. BMD's family was wrought with grief, but the Imperial High Command and KCA continued the war, still trying to reclaim the lost systems. Prime Minister Aerith's daughter, Giselle Gainsborough, was especially hit hard by the news of the Emperor's near-death. It was revealed that the 5-year-old was the child of BMD and Aerith, created scientifically in secret. Empress Nova was taken aback by the revelation, but when Aerith explained that Giselle was artificially conceived, and not by means of infidelity, Nova's concerns abided. On one of her visits, Giselle unknowingly used her innate healing powers to heal BMD from his grievous injuries. Though he was healed, BMD remained in a coma. The War's end Koftian and Coruscanti forces were able to retake their systems just as Ramas launched a new offensive. The sheer number of Ramas' army drove LE and the remaining KCA and 1st Imperial Forces back. The fallen Elder had reanimated his dead army, which would relentlessly march without concern of their own lives. Ramas took systems one by one as LE retreated. Empress Nova took command of the Imperial Armed Forces and directed them to aid LE at the Solus system. There, they staged a counter-attack, halting Ramas' advance. The Imperial Knights fought at the head, Nebula having been elevated to GrandMaster in Roan Fel's place. Penelope and Saranthia Shan fought at thier mother's side, along the Jedi. Sara was accepted into the Circle of Mages, which provided invaluable cover for the advancing forces. LE spearheaded an attack force that drove deep into Ramas' controlled sectors. Behind enemy lines, the UED forces held a position long enough for Imperial and KCA forces to catch up with them. Eventually, they arrived back above Char. Ramas' aerial forces held the KCA and Imperials at bay. The Elder Gods were only ones capable of killing Ramas, but with the Umbral Staff, none would risk a full scale land invasion. It was during this time that BMD awoke from his coma. He realized that he had lost all of his Elder powers, but could still wield the Force. Not wasting any time, and against the advice of his wife and children, BMD took a vanguard of Sith and Imperial Knights directly to Char. There, the Elder Gods helped break a path to Ramas' citadel once more. BMD and his forces rushed in and attacked Ramas and his personal guard. It took the combined might of the Elder Gods to seperate Ramas from his staff. Once done, BMD plunged his lightsaber into Ramas' chest, finally decapitating him with the Umbral Staff. With Ramas dead, his forces fell. LE and the naval forces took control of Char's airspace and sent rescue crews for the surface forces. Once BMD returned to the Core system, he had the Umbral Staff launched into the system's star, effectively ending the war. Reconstruction All three factions suffered heavily from the war. They would spend many years rebuilding. The KCA supported the UED's plan to constuct a colony on Char to remain vigilant for Kerrigan and the Zerg. Koft and Coruscant turned to their own respective systems and began to rebuild. The Empire was not as badly hurt by the war as the other two factions. The core Imperial worlds were relatively untouched and what little systems they had were well away from Ramas' invasion. Yet, the Empire did provide aid to the other factions, helping them rebuild. Some neutral systems also vouched to be annexed by the Empire, fearing that neutrality was not in their best interest. The Asari Republics petitioned to join the Empire, which was a great gain on the Empire's behalf. The Emperor, BMD, had effectively lost all of his Elder powers, even his immortality. The ravages of time were catching up with him, graying parts of his hair, but he remained adamant about ruling the Empire. Paragon LE returned to Earth, but kept a close eye on Char and the rest of the galaxy. His search for Kerrigan would continue. BMD's twin daughters, Penelope and Saranthia went into seperate disciplines, their actions during the war not going unnnoticed. Penny joined the Jedi, following in the footsteps of her mother, and Sara stayed with the Circle of Mages, becoming the youngest mage on the Circle's High Council. Argon continued to support the Empire, and with the induction of the Asari, the industrial center of the galaxy increased tenfold. Koft and Couruscant continued to trade with Argon, and even though Chief of State Gilad Pellaeon was aging, he was still Argon's public face. He dealt with any leaders who had business with Argon. The leaders of the Empire knew their days were limited, so they began looking for heirs. Astrography Existence began with the Core System of Koft, Coruscant, and the Vullarian worlds. The system's star was called Adamantus, a mid-class yellow star. The system was surrounded by an asteroid belt that made it very difficult to navigate through until after the Vullarian War. The Core System is the only system with all its planets being hospitable. After the Vullarian War, the factions began expanding beyond the Core System. To date, there are dozens of systems claimed for either of the three factions. The core of the galaxy remained within the Core Systems. Koft and Coruscant remained close and official allies, but kept seperate systems under their banner. The Empire tails behind the two, but still remains the most dominant militarily. Major Factions *Koftian Alliance *Coruscanti Republic *Elders' Empire *Koftian Coruscanti Alliance *United Earth Directorate *The Exchange *Black Mirage *The Elder Gods *The Vullarians *Various Neutral Factions Speech A heavy majority of the galaxy relies on Galactic Basic as the means of communication. There were smaller communities within the major faction that still held onto their native tongues, from before the Dimensional Meld. The Elder Gods in particular still communed with each other in Litzell. Other widely used minority languages included: Elvish and Binary. These were usually known as trade languages. Although many knew or spoke a minority language, they were expected to understand and speak Basic as well. Economy In the aftermath of the Dimensional Meld, the two factions strove very hard to regain lost knowledge and technology. Discovering the uses of the unfamiliar resources took time. Coruscant had the luxury of many skilled and highly intelligent scientists, which allowed them to pull ahead of Koft. Nevertheless, both planets adopted a free-market system, but refrained from interplanetary trade, which did not occur until after the Third Koftian Conflict. After the Koftian Coruscanti Alliance was formed, trade barriers began to diminish, but not disappear. Both planets traded heavily with each other, preparing for the Vullarian threat. After the Vullarian War and the formation of the Elders' Empire, the balance shifted once more. Many influential and powerful families moved their businesses to the Empire's planet of Argon. Since then, Argon has become the economic and industrial center of the entire galaxy. With the induction of the rich and innovative Asari, Argon continues to be the crown jewel of the galaxy.